Chamber and committees

Thank you.

Thank you, Martin. Nareen Turnbull, is the experience similar in your council?

Thank you. Does anyone else online want to comment on the subject, or have those two covered it?

How have the updates on the public sector equality duty been communicated to your councils? I put that question to Andrew Groundwater.

Good morning. I asked a similar question to the last panel, so if you were here, you will know what I am going to ask.

Reform of the public sector equality duty started back in 2018 and, as you know, the process was interrupted by Covid. Did the delay affect your organisation’s ability to fulfil the PSED? The previous witnesses said that that was not their experience; I would like to hear from you.

It is good to hear that.

Good morning, panel. I will not pick on Nareen Turnbull, who is in the room. I will go straight to Martin Ingram.

The reform of the public sector equality duty started in 2018. As you know, the process was interrupted by Covid. How has the delay affected your council’s ability to fulfil the public sector equality duty?

Jillian, do you have anything to add?

That information was really helpful to our committee. I will hand back to you now, convener.

Thank you. Does anyone else want to comment before I hand back to the convener?

I direct members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am a member of Unison.

If we are to fully deliver on our priorities of improving Scotland’s public services, eradicating child poverty and tackling the climate emergency, increased investment in the Scottish economy is critical. In the short time that I have available, I will cover how two particular budget commitments are good for our economy.

The Scottish Government budget includes significant investment to support the economy. We know that the economy suffers when poverty thrives, which is why we have given more than £1 billion through the Scottish child payment since it was launched in 2021. Unlike the Labour and Tory parties, we know that the two-child cap must go. Investing in social security is not only the morally right thing to do; an investment in our people is an investment in our economy. Tackling poverty and growing the economy go hand in hand.

In our moves towards reaching net zero, we have provided opportunities across the economy that are vital for our future. In its budget, the Scottish Government is committing about £4.9 billion in capital and resource funding for activities that will have a positive impact on the delivery of our climate change goals. Capital funding of £150 million will be used to continue to anchor our offshore wind supply chain, which is part of a five-year commitment to invest more than £500 million in the sector. That investment by the Scottish Government is expected to leverage £1.5 billion in private sector investment and support thousands of jobs.

It is also welcome that more than £168 million will be invested to maximise the power of our land and forests to tackle climate change and protect nature. That spending allows us to protect and restore our natural environment, all while supporting Scotland’s rural economy and creating economic opportunities and green jobs.

Those examples of public investment in our country through social security and net zero spending are not only the right thing to do; they drive investment in Scotland and help our economy.

As a constituency MSP, I engage positively with businesses throughout Clydebank and Milngavie. They know that the most productive workforce is the one that has fair and decent conditions. I welcome the SNP Government’s support for measures to promote a work environment that values the workforce and our trade union movement.

Unfortunately, Labour sends mixed messages on that issue. Labour members talk a good game in the Parliament, but the mask slips when they are in power. I see that locally with the Labour-led West Dunbartonshire Council. Just this month, the excellent and well-informed Clydebank Post reported that the council has paused its threat to fire and rehire workers over holidays. The article quotes the GMB saying:

“We would like to thank you for your support in helping us get the process paused and we will continue fighting until the threat of fire and rehire is completely removed.”

Understandably, the GMB said that it “beggared belief” that a council would behave like that, and I totally agree. Labour cannot be trusted with workers’ rights or, more broadly, with our economy.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has jumped deep into the Tory austerity playbook. Despite all that we do, our economic growth will continue to be hampered by the UK Government’s decisions and its Brexit policy. Slow growth, job losses and rising prices are direct results of Labour policies such as the national insurance tax increase and the decision to stay out of the European Union single market. Scotland can flourish, as we have so much to offer, but we need to be able to make our own decisions in areas such as immigration policy and rejoining the EU as an independent country. It is now clearer than ever that only with independence will our economy and public services truly thrive.